Compare the estimated total cost of ownership for a gasoline-powered car versus an electric car over a specified period.
Estimated Total Cost of Ownership Comparison
Understanding the Gas vs. Electric Car Cost Calculator
This calculator helps you estimate the total cost of ownership for a gasoline-powered vehicle versus an electric vehicle (EV) over a specified period. Choosing between a gas car and an EV involves more than just the sticker price; it's crucial to consider ongoing expenses such as fuel, maintenance, and potential battery replacement.
How the Calculation Works:
The calculator breaks down the costs into several key components for both vehicle types:
Initial Purchase Price: The upfront cost of buying the car. EVs typically have a higher initial cost, but this can be offset by government incentives and lower running costs.
Fuel/Energy Costs: This is a significant difference.
Gas Car: Calculated as (Annual Mileage / MPG) * Fuel Cost per Gallon.
Electric Car: Calculated as (Annual Mileage / MPGe) * Electricity Cost per kWh * 33.7 (conversion factor for kWh to equivalent gallons).
Maintenance Costs: EVs generally require less maintenance due to fewer moving parts (no oil changes, fewer brake replacements as regenerative braking is used).
Battery Replacement: EVs have a large battery that may need replacement after several years. This calculator estimates the prorated cost of battery replacement within the ownership period. It's calculated by dividing the total battery replacement cost by the interval in years, and then multiplying by the ownership years, ensuring it's only factored if the ownership period is long enough.
Total Ownership Cost: The sum of Initial Purchase Price + (Annual Fuel/Energy Cost * Ownership Years) + (Annual Maintenance Cost * Ownership Years) + Prorated Battery Replacement Cost.
Interpreting the Results:
The calculator will show you:
The total estimated cost for the gasoline car over the specified ownership period.
The total estimated cost for the electric car over the specified ownership period.
The difference in total cost, highlighting which vehicle is projected to be more cost-effective.
Factors Not Included (for simplicity):
This calculator provides a simplified estimate. Other factors that could influence the total cost include:
Insurance premiums (which can vary by vehicle type).
Resale value (which is a complex and evolving market).
Government incentives, tax credits, or rebates (which vary significantly by location and time).
Home charger installation costs.
Potential repairs outside of routine maintenance.
Inflation and changes in fuel/electricity prices over time.
Use this calculator as a tool to get a good general idea of the long-term financial implications of choosing an electric vehicle over a traditional gasoline car.
function calculateCosts() {
var initialCostGas = parseFloat(document.getElementById("initialCostGas").value);
var initialCostElectric = parseFloat(document.getElementById("initialCostElectric").value);
var annualMileage = parseFloat(document.getElementById("annualMileage").value);
var fuelCostPerGallon = parseFloat(document.getElementById("fuelCostPerGallon").value);
var mpgGas = parseFloat(document.getElementById("mpgGas").value);
var electricityCostPerKWh = parseFloat(document.getElementById("electricityCostPerKWh").value);
var electricCarMPGe = parseFloat(document.getElementById("electricCarMPGe").value);
var annualMaintenanceGas = parseFloat(document.getElementById("annualMaintenanceGas").value);
var annualMaintenanceElectric = parseFloat(document.getElementById("annualMaintenanceElectric").value);
var batteryReplacementCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("batteryReplacementCost").value);
var batteryReplacementYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById("batteryReplacementYears").value);
var ownershipYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById("ownershipYears").value);
var resultElement = document.getElementById("totalCostDifference");
var gasCarTotalCostElement = document.getElementById("gasCarTotalCost");
var electricCarTotalCostElement = document.getElementById("electricCarTotalCost");
// Clear previous results
resultElement.innerHTML = ";
gasCarTotalCostElement.innerHTML = ";
electricCarTotalCostElement.innerHTML = ";
// Input validation
if (isNaN(initialCostGas) || initialCostGas < 0 ||
isNaN(initialCostElectric) || initialCostElectric < 0 ||
isNaN(annualMileage) || annualMileage <= 0 ||
isNaN(fuelCostPerGallon) || fuelCostPerGallon < 0 ||
isNaN(mpgGas) || mpgGas <= 0 ||
isNaN(electricityCostPerKWh) || electricityCostPerKWh < 0 ||
isNaN(electricCarMPGe) || electricCarMPGe <= 0 ||
isNaN(annualMaintenanceGas) || annualMaintenanceGas < 0 ||
isNaN(annualMaintenanceElectric) || annualMaintenanceElectric < 0 ||
isNaN(batteryReplacementCost) || batteryReplacementCost < 0 ||
isNaN(batteryReplacementYears) || batteryReplacementYears <= 0 ||
isNaN(ownershipYears) || ownershipYears <= 0) {
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.';
return;
}
// Calculate annual fuel/energy costs
var annualFuelCostGas = (annualMileage / mpgGas) * fuelCostPerGallon;
// MPGe is miles per gallon equivalent. 1 gallon of gasoline ~ 33.7 kWh of energy.
var annualEnergyCostElectric = (annualMileage / electricCarMPGe) * electricityCostPerKWh * 33.7;
// Calculate prorated battery replacement cost
var proratedBatteryCost = 0;
if (batteryReplacementYears > 0 && batteryReplacementCost > 0 && ownershipYears > 0) {
proratedBatteryCost = (batteryReplacementCost / batteryReplacementYears) * ownershipYears;
// Ensure battery cost is not more than the total replacement cost itself if ownership is very long
proratedBatteryCost = Math.min(proratedBatteryCost, batteryReplacementCost);
}
// Calculate total costs over ownership period
var totalCostGas = initialCostGas + (annualFuelCostGas * ownershipYears) + (annualMaintenanceGas * ownershipYears);
var totalCostElectric = initialCostElectric + (annualEnergyCostElectric * ownershipYears) + (annualMaintenanceElectric * ownershipYears) + proratedBatteryCost;
var costDifference = totalCostElectric – totalCostGas;
gasCarTotalCostElement.innerHTML = 'Estimated Total Cost (Gas Car): $' + totalCostGas.toFixed(2) + ' over ' + ownershipYears + ' years.';
electricCarTotalCostElement.innerHTML = 'Estimated Total Cost (Electric Car): $' + totalCostElectric.toFixed(2) + ' over ' + ownershipYears + ' years.';
if (costDifference < 0) {
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Saving: $' + Math.abs(costDifference).toFixed(2) + ' by choosing the Gas Car.';
} else if (costDifference > 0) {
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Saving: $' + costDifference.toFixed(2) + ' by choosing the Electric Car.';
} else {
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Both vehicles have an estimated equal total cost.';
}
}